SHOPPERS in a garrison town stood in silence today to pay tribute to five paratroopers killed in Afghanistan during the past five days.
The centre of Colchester, Essex, came to a standstill at 11am as soldiers and civilians remembered the dead troops.
A bugler played the Last Post as the chimes of the town hall clock struck 11.
The centre of Colchester, Essex, came to a standstill at 11am as soldiers and civilians remembered the dead troops.
A bugler played the Last Post as the chimes of the town hall clock struck 11.
Moments earlier, onlookers had spontaneously applauded the arrival of paratroopers from the dead soldiers’ regiment. and a Union flag in the centre of the town was at half mast.
The victims were all members of the 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment and had left their base in Colchester earlier this year to fight in Afghanistan.
Locals - including old soldiers - gathered outside Colchester Town Hall to pay tribute.
The honour came after soldiers of the Parachute Regiment vowed to fight on last night after it emerged that two more of their men had died.
It was the second tragedy to hit the 2nd Battalion in five days — following the loss of three young soldiers on Sunday.
A senior military source said: "It is a heavy blow for 2 Para to suffer so soon after losing three comrades.
"But they will pick themselves up, fight on and complete their mission."
The latest casualties brought the British death toll in Afghanistan to 102 in seven years.
They died yesterday in a Taliban ambush in Helmand province.
The two privates were hit by small-arms fire during a furious battle.
A third soldier was hit when the militants attacked with rocket propelled grenades and automatic rifles.
The Ministry of Defence said last night: "They were conducting a routine foot patrol in the vicinity of their base at Forward Operating Base Gibraltar in the Upper Gereshk Valley when they came under enemy fire, tragically killing two.
"A third soldier was also injured. They were evacuated to Camp Bastion medical facility where the injured soldier is receiving treatment.
"The soldiers’ next of kin have been informed and have requested a 24 hour period of grace before further details are released."
Officials have not revealed details of the injured soldier’s condition.
The victims were all members of the 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment and had left their base in Colchester earlier this year to fight in Afghanistan.
Locals - including old soldiers - gathered outside Colchester Town Hall to pay tribute.
The honour came after soldiers of the Parachute Regiment vowed to fight on last night after it emerged that two more of their men had died.
It was the second tragedy to hit the 2nd Battalion in five days — following the loss of three young soldiers on Sunday.
A senior military source said: "It is a heavy blow for 2 Para to suffer so soon after losing three comrades.
"But they will pick themselves up, fight on and complete their mission."
The latest casualties brought the British death toll in Afghanistan to 102 in seven years.
They died yesterday in a Taliban ambush in Helmand province.
The two privates were hit by small-arms fire during a furious battle.
A third soldier was hit when the militants attacked with rocket propelled grenades and automatic rifles.
The Ministry of Defence said last night: "They were conducting a routine foot patrol in the vicinity of their base at Forward Operating Base Gibraltar in the Upper Gereshk Valley when they came under enemy fire, tragically killing two.
"A third soldier was also injured. They were evacuated to Camp Bastion medical facility where the injured soldier is receiving treatment.
"The soldiers’ next of kin have been informed and have requested a 24 hour period of grace before further details are released."
Officials have not revealed details of the injured soldier’s condition.
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